1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling a refrigerant level, and particularly, to an apparatus for controlling a refrigerant level which can control a level of a refrigerant stored in a refrigerant tank.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view that illustrates a refrigerant tank provided with a conventional apparatus for controlling a refrigerant level.
As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant tank 10 provided with a conventional apparatus for controlling a refrigerant level has a space portion 12 for storing a refrigerant in a main body 11.
An intake pipe 13 through which a liquefied refrigerant 12a is received is formed at an upper portion of the main body 11 of the refrigerant tank 10, and a discharge pipe 14 through which the liquefied refrigerant 12a is discharged is formed at a lower portion of the main body 11 of the refrigerant tank 10.
An intake valve 13a for the refrigerant intake into the main body 11 of the refrigerant tank 10 is installed at the intake pipe 13, and a discharge valve 14a for discharging a refrigerant is installed at the discharge pipe 14.
An insertion hole 11a is formed at an upper end of the main body 11 of the refrigerant tank 10, and a sealing member 11b for sealing the insertion hole 11a is coupled to the insertion hole 11a. 
An apparatus for controlling a refrigerant level using a specific gravity difference between a float and a refrigerant is provided at the space portion 12 of the main body 11 of the refrigerant tank 10.
The conventional apparatus for controlling a refrigerant level includes a guide 15 installed long in a vertical direction in the main body 11 of the refrigerant tank, floats 16 and 17 respectively formed at an upper portion and a lower portion of the guide 15, and stoppers 18 and 19 respectively installed at upper and lower sides of the floats 16 and 17.
Here, the specific gravity of the float 16 and 17 is smaller than that of the liquefied refrigerant 12a, and is greater than that of the gaseous refrigerant 12b. In general, if apparatus for controlling a refrigerant level is a low pressure type in which the inside of the main body 11 of the refrigerant tank 10 is in a low pressure state, the floats 16 and 17 are formed of rubber in a spherical body, and if the device is a high pressure type in which the inside of the main body 11 of the refrigerant tank 10 is in a high pressure state, the floats 16 and 17 are formed of metal in a spherical shape. A gas is injected in the floats 16 and 17.
The stoppers 18 and 19 limit a range within which the corresponding floats 16 and 17 ascend and descend.
However, technically, it is difficult to seal, with the sealing member, the insertion groove formed at an upper end of the main body of the refrigerant tank provided with the conventional apparatus for controlling a refrigerant level. In this case, the refrigerant leaks from a gap of the sealed portion.
Also, if the height of the main body of the refrigerant tank gets higher, the height of the guide should get higher as much. Therefore, the entire structure becomes complicated, the manufacturing cost increases, and it is difficult to install the float at the guide.
Also, in case of the high pressure type float, the float itself is deformed by the pressure of the gas injected therein.